


The Better Demons of Our Nature

by AstroGirl



Category: The Good Place (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Introspection, moral development
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 15:18:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13638876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstroGirl/pseuds/AstroGirl
Summary: Michael is not in this alone.





	The Better Demons of Our Nature

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently I have a lot of feelings about Michael's character development in season 2.
> 
> This was written for Gen Prompt Bingo for the prompt "Faith, Hope and Charity," and contains major spoilers through season 2's "Rhonda, Diana, Jake, and Trent."

The thing is -- and Michael can't believe that, in all the eons of his existence, he's never thought about it quite like this before -- demons are _dicks_. It's what they were created to be, he supposes, and it certainly helps get the human-torturing job done, but is that actually a plus? Once it wouldn't have even crossed his mind to question that, but now, annoyingly, he finds himself questioning _everything_.

Whatever. The fact remains: demons are dicks, and you can't be friends with one. Present company excepted, apparently, and that's it, that's the thing that's getting to him, the thing that's making him feel... Well, he's not entirely sure what it is he's feeling, but it's not anger, and it's not confusion. It's something else, something he's never had occasion to feel before, because no one's ever given a -- he sort of hates how on-the-nose the expression is, but fork it -- no one's ever given a damn about him before.

Not as a person, anyway. His kind just... _don't_. Oh, they enjoy each other's company sometimes, when the cruel zingers and the terrible beer are flowing freely, or when there are useful torture tips to be picked up from someone else's bragging. They're certainly capable of sucking up to advance their careers. But to just sit and talk, honestly, about their feelings? When has he ever felt he could do that with someone before? When has he ever even imagined it as _possible_?

Demons don't have faith in each other. They don't hope for better from each other. They don't help each other. They don't forgive each other. They don't offer sincere, heartfelt toasts of thanks to someone who's tortured them, who's lied to them, who's failed them, no matter how good his intentions might have become. _Especially_ not because of how good his intentions have become. They don't give him crappy, touching little gifts, don't treat him like he's become part of... of whatever they are. They don't give him more than he deserves.

Turns out, that's a thing you can do. You can give someone more than they deserve. You can help them to be someone who deserves better.

Why did no one _tell_ him this?

Well, he knows it now, as inescapably as he knows that he can die. Which still terrifies him, that knowledge of his own potential for non-existence. But as horrible, as maddening, as regret-you're-wearing-a-body-with-human-bowel-functions scary as that is, it might not actually be the worst thing imaginable. 

He thinks... And he can't believe he's thinking this, or, rather, he can't believe that he _can_ believe that he's thinking this. But he thinks... He thinks he honestly would rather die now than save himself at the expense of his friends. Rather have his essence scooped out with a ladle than disappoint them when they expected more of him, however insane that expectation might have been. Rather burn on the surface of a million suns than go back to being a _giant goddamn dick_... and being all alone.

Demons would throw each other under the trolley without hesitation, without stopping for a microsecond to think about whether it's right or wrong, or whether they owe each other something more.

He doesn't want to be that anymore. He doesn't think that he _is_ that anymore. Exactly what he is now, he doesn't know. "Honorary human" seems like a good start, though.

What would a human do right now, faced with the dilemma of one escape route, one friend, and one key? Well, besides feeling mortal and frightened of an uncertain future in a universe that might not really care what he does at all? Probably that depends on the human. Everyone gets to make their own choices, right? 

Funny. He'd have thought this kind of choice would have been a lot harder to make.

Michael fastens the pin to Eleanor's dress, gently pushes her through the portal and on to whatever comes next, and turns to meet his fate.

He feels... 

_Huh._ He feels surprisingly good.


End file.
